The Aśvamedha : The Rite and its Logic

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This essay describes the Asvamedha rite and its symbolism to explain distinctive aspects of the Vedic sacrifice system. This rite has three important functions: (i)it presents an equivalence of the naksatra year to the heaven, implying that it is a rite that celebrates the rebirth of the Sun; (ii)it is symbolic of the conquest of Time by the king, in whose name the rite is performed; and (iii) it is a celebration of social harmony achieved by the transcendence of the fundamental conflicts between various sources of power.